Lady Valerie returns to her room straight away. Once there, she sits down at her with the list and another piece of parchment, as well as a book of all the old families of the Lion Kingdom. Carefully reading down Urbien's list, she makes use of her long memory and the book to check for any family connections or old alliances that any of the recommended knights might have, either with her family or with Urbien's. Any connected with her family, and those with no connections with either, are moved over onto Valerie's list; any with connections to Urbien are put on a separate list.
Many of those on the list appear to be the more experienced knights, those who served under Arthurian and Demiu. Some of those are related to Urbien through his relation to Arthurian.
Valerie transfers several connected to Arthurian onto her main list, deeming it unwise to be obvious with her choices. She then waits for some time, pondering the situation.
In the courtyard, meanwhile, Daniel has now asked three younger knights whom he has befriended whilst training, and sends his servant up to Valerie with their names.
Many of those on the list appear to be the more experienced knights, those who served under Arthurian and Demiu. Some of those are related to Urbien through his relation to Arthurian.
Valerie transfers several connected to Arthurian onto her main list, deeming it unwise to be obvious with her choices. She then waits for some time, pondering the situation.
In the courtyard, meanwhile, Daniel has now asked three younger knights whom he has befriended whilst training, and sends his servant up to Valerie with their names.
In the courtyard, Daniel also finds a wingless griffin and an injured man, being tended to by Gayia's new apprentice. A wall guard stands nearby.
Valerie transfers several connected to Arthurian onto her main list, deeming it unwise to be obvious with her choices. She then waits for some time, pondering the situation.
In the courtyard, meanwhile, Daniel has now asked three younger knights whom he has befriended whilst training, and sends his servant up to Valerie with their names.
In the courtyard, Daniel also finds a wingless griffin and an injured man, being tended to by Gayia's new apprentice. A wall guard stands nearby.
The injured man, Goatie, looks up. Lifting his unhurt arm and slightly bowing his head, he greets Daniel.
The injured man, Goatie, looks up. Lifting his unhurt arm and slightly bowing his head, he greets Daniel.
Daniel hurries over. "Greetings! What happened to you...?"
'Sup, guv?' Goatie lets slip the rather informal salutation. 'Goatie of the Forest Greenbark Group, at your service. I've had an unpleasant run-in with some folk at that . . . run-down ruin,' he finishes in a quiet mutter, looking for an instant dazed. He jerks his thumb in a North-Easterly direction.
'Hand it over, Jed,' he then says mysteriously to his wingless griffin.
Jednook gets up, revealing the satchel he has been lying on. After rummaging in the bag, he pecks out the scroll. It reeks of mould as he flicks it across the ground towards Goatie, who offers it to Daniel.
'I don't know who's in charge, but they might want to see this. It's a map.'
Daniel hurries over. "Greetings! What happened to you...?"
'Sup, guv?' Goatie lets slip the rather informal salutation. 'Goatie of the Forest Greenbark Group, at your service. I've had an unpleasant run-in with some folk at that . . . run-down ruin,' he finishes in a quiet mutter, looking for an instant dazed. He jerks his thumb in a North-Easterly direction.
'Hand it over, Jed,' he then says mysteriously to his wingless griffin.
Jednook gets up, revealing the satchel he has been lying on. After rummaging in the bag, he pecks out the scroll. It reeks of mould as he flicks it across the ground towards Goatie, who offers it to Daniel.
'I don't know who's in charge, but they might want to see this. It's a map.'
"Daniel, of the Lion Knights, at your....the Abandoned Fortress?" The young man looks excited, taking the map and glancing down at it. "What sort of people did you meet there?"
'Sup, guv?' Goatie lets slip the rather informal salutation. 'Goatie of the Forest Greenbark Group, at your service. I've had an unpleasant run-in with some folk at that . . . run-down ruin,' he finishes in a quiet mutter, looking for an instant dazed. He jerks his thumb in a North-Easterly direction.
'Hand it over, Jed,' he then says mysteriously to his wingless griffin.
Jednook gets up, revealing the satchel he has been lying on. After rummaging in the bag, he pecks out the scroll. It reeks of mould as he flicks it across the ground towards Goatie, who offers it to Daniel.
'I don't know who's in charge, but they might want to see this. It's a map.'
"Daniel, of the Lion Knights, at your....the Abandoned Fortress?" The young man looks excited, taking the map and glancing down at it. "What sort of people did you meet there?"
OOC: I may post another part of Goatie's story
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
"Daniel, of the Lion Knights, at your....the Abandoned Fortress?" The young man looks excited, taking the map and glancing down at it. "What sort of people did you meet there?"
OOC: I may post another part of Goatie's story
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
OOC: That part's all fine. There are people currently living inside and around the castle itself, but you entered through the hidden exit to the labyrinth beneath the castle, where monsters definitely are. The ones I had planned are probably different from the ones you're going to include, but that's fine. I can still make this all work.
"Daniel, of the Lion Knights, at your....the Abandoned Fortress?" The young man looks excited, taking the map and glancing down at it. "What sort of people did you meet there?"
OOC: I may post another part of Goatie's story
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
OOC: (Continuing the story)
IC: '' Well, we put up a fight - there were two of them - not sure what they were, it was dark, but they looked like some kind of trolls. Jednook got a bite to his leg but we got away fast enough. Trouble was, we were now lost in some kind of labyrinth. I couldn't draw more of my map while on the run, you understand, but as soon as we weren't being persued (and this was when we'd reached some kind of chamber), I got mapping once again.'
'Eventually, we came to an unusual sight - it was a pool with a drain leading down into it from the ceiling of the tunnel; it was a sort of irrigation system taking water to an underground reservoir (the pool) from some water source above.''
''Suddenly we heard voices - it was the same two troll creatures we'd encountered before. One of the Monsters came in and got my arm - broke it when I wrenched free. Now, there was nowhere else to go, but up that drain. Luckily it was big enough for even Jed to go up. It was slippery but not steep, however I wondered if a great tide o' water would come charging down at us at any moment. At the top of the drain was a trapdoor.''
''I got Jednook to smash it open with his beak . . . and we were out, in broad daylight, in a walled area with rubble ev'rywhere, with a river splashing full into our faces. And we were surrounded by people in armour. Before you could say 'drain' they were on us. I never fought so hard in my life and I thought we were gonners, but we got out of the fray - somehow, we got out . . .''
''Next thing I knew I was being carried by Jednook in the shadow of the Fortress, in grassland, your Lion Kingdom. Jed must have jumped those walls, I dunno how. Eh boy?' Goatie reaches out to scratch his griffin's head. 'And that's it, I guess. We ended up here, wounded soldiers.'
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
OOC: That part's all fine. There are people currently living inside and around the castle itself, but you entered through the hidden exit to the labyrinth beneath the castle, where monsters definitely are. The ones I had planned are probably different from the ones you're going to include, but that's fine. I can still make this all work.
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
OOC: (Continuing the story)
IC: '' Well, we put up a fight - there were two of them - not sure what they were, it was dark, but they looked like some kind of trolls. Jednook got a bite to his leg but we got away fast enough. Trouble was, we were now lost in some kind of labyrinth. I couldn't draw more of my map while on the run, you understand, but as soon as we weren't being persued (and this was when we'd reached some kind of chamber), I got mapping once again.'
'Eventually, we came to an unusual sight - it was a pool with a drain leading down into it from the ceiling of the tunnel; it was a sort of irrigation system taking water to an underground reservoir (the pool) from some water source above.''
''Suddenly we heard voices - it was the same two troll creatures we'd encountered before. One of the Monsters came in and got my arm - broke it when I wrenched free. Now, there was nowhere else to go, but up that drain. Luckily it was big enough for even Jed to go up. It was slippery but not steep, however I wondered if a great tide o' water would come charging down at us at any moment. At the top of the drain was a trapdoor.''
''I got Jednook to smash it open with his beak . . . and we were out, in broad daylight, in a walled area with rubble ev'rywhere, with a river splashing full into our faces. And we were surrounded by people in armour. Before you could say 'drain' they were on us. I never fought so hard in my life and I thought we were gonners, but we got out of the fray - somehow, we got out . . .''
''Next thing I knew I was being carried by Jednook in the shadow of the Fortress, in grassland, your Lion Kingdom. Jed must have jumped those walls, I dunno how. Eh boy?' Goatie reaches out to scratch his griffin's head. 'And that's it, I guess. We ended up here, wounded soldiers.'
OOC: This one is good, as well. The trolls could be Swamp Giants (ogres) who moved in after the old tenants were evicted. The irrigation system works pretty well, because in the original adventure through the labyrinth there was a room with a giant, glass-covered pond with a Sea Serpent of some kind inside. I don't know who the army would be, but I have no objection and a few thoughts.
RuleJJ - May need you to monitor this as not sure it will run with your plot plans.
IC:
'It's like this see,' begins Goatie after thinking for a moment. He launches into his tale ...
'Me an' Jednook here were bored out of our bonces over at the Forest HQ - so we toddled off on a sort of aimless stroll. Well, we stumbled on an old fortress one evening. It didn't look too inviting so we decided to make a detour - but as a storm was coming in we had to leave that until the morning and took shelter in a copse. Weren't no ordinary copse though. Had a big fox den in middle of it. That's what I thought it was. Stank to the stars it did. But Jednook was straight into it and didn't come out.'
'I, anything, followed him in. As we descended the tunnel branched out. That's when I had the inkling to map the way down.' Goatie gestured at the scroll. 'Not bad scribbling eh? Neat writing and all. Anyway, by and by, we crash slap-bang into the Monsters . . . thought I would faint they stank so bad.'
OOC: (Continuing the story)
IC: '' Well, we put up a fight - there were two of them - not sure what they were, it was dark, but they looked like some kind of trolls. Jednook got a bite to his leg but we got away fast enough. Trouble was, we were now lost in some kind of labyrinth. I couldn't draw more of my map while on the run, you understand, but as soon as we weren't being persued (and this was when we'd reached some kind of chamber), I got mapping once again.'
'Eventually, we came to an unusual sight - it was a pool with a drain leading down into it from the ceiling of the tunnel; it was a sort of irrigation system taking water to an underground reservoir (the pool) from some water source above.''
''Suddenly we heard voices - it was the same two troll creatures we'd encountered before. One of the Monsters came in and got my arm - broke it when I wrenched free. Now, there was nowhere else to go, but up that drain. Luckily it was big enough for even Jed to go up. It was slippery but not steep, however I wondered if a great tide o' water would come charging down at us at any moment. At the top of the drain was a trapdoor.''
''I got Jednook to smash it open with his beak . . . and we were out, in broad daylight, in a walled area with rubble ev'rywhere, with a river splashing full into our faces. And we were surrounded by people in armour. Before you could say 'drain' they were on us. I never fought so hard in my life and I thought we were gonners, but we got out of the fray - somehow, we got out . . .''
''Next thing I knew I was being carried by Jednook in the shadow of the Fortress, in grassland, your Lion Kingdom. Jed must have jumped those walls, I dunno how. Eh boy?' Goatie reaches out to scratch his griffin's head. 'And that's it, I guess. We ended up here, wounded soldiers.'
Goatie pats Jednook and says to Daniel, ''Got any tea?''
IC: '' Well, we put up a fight - there were two of them - not sure what they were, it was dark, but they looked like some kind of trolls. Jednook got a bite to his leg but we got away fast enough. Trouble was, we were now lost in some kind of labyrinth. I couldn't draw more of my map while on the run, you understand, but as soon as we weren't being persued (and this was when we'd reached some kind of chamber), I got mapping once again.'
'Eventually, we came to an unusual sight - it was a pool with a drain leading down into it from the ceiling of the tunnel; it was a sort of irrigation system taking water to an underground reservoir (the pool) from some water source above.''
''Suddenly we heard voices - it was the same two troll creatures we'd encountered before. One of the Monsters came in and got my arm - broke it when I wrenched free. Now, there was nowhere else to go, but up that drain. Luckily it was big enough for even Jed to go up. It was slippery but not steep, however I wondered if a great tide o' water would come charging down at us at any moment. At the top of the drain was a trapdoor.''
''I got Jednook to smash it open with his beak . . . and we were out, in broad daylight, in a walled area with rubble ev'rywhere, with a river splashing full into our faces. And we were surrounded by people in armour. Before you could say 'drain' they were on us. I never fought so hard in my life and I thought we were gonners, but we got out of the fray - somehow, we got out . . .''
''Next thing I knew I was being carried by Jednook in the shadow of the Fortress, in grassland, your Lion Kingdom. Jed must have jumped those walls, I dunno how. Eh boy?' Goatie reaches out to scratch his griffin's head. 'And that's it, I guess. We ended up here, wounded soldiers.'
Goatie pats Jednook and says to Daniel, ''Got any tea?''
OOC: I'm going to move this forward a little, since Shamrock has not been able to post in a while. I can only take it so far without him, but I would like to make a little progress.
IC: A couple days pass as all the preparations for the trip are put in order. Along with Urbien's "suggestions", Daniel selects Azril Liefson, Ivor, Alun the gate guard, Captain Lucas, a soldier that he knows and trusts, Liam Black, and a group of servants that he also knows and trusts. Jednook and Goatie are counted as one of the servant slots, as "guides" for the expedition.
OOC: I'm going to move this forward a little, since Shamrock has not been able to post in a while. I can only take it so far without him, but I would like to make a little progress.
IC: A couple days pass as all the preparations for the trip are put in order. Along with Urbien's "suggestions", Daniel selects Azril Liefson, Ivor, Alun the gate guard, Captain Lucas, a soldier that he knows and trusts, Liam Black, and a group of servants that he also knows and trusts. Jednook and Goatie are counted as one of the servant slots, as "guides" for the expedition.
At long last, the expedition departs. Lord Urbien wishes them great success and Lady Valerie bids farewell to her great-nephew. Other denizens of the castle say goodbye to friends and relatives.
It is a bright and sunny day as Daniel leads them forth, Sir Lucas at his side. Close behind them are Valerie’s two guards, Azril Liefson and Ivor. Jednook and Goatie reman with the expedition despite their protests and stick to the back of the procession, accompanied by the healer’s apprentice Liam Black and the gate guard Alun.
OOC: You can make a little conversation if you want, but I’m going to move this right along to the Abandoned Fortress.
